Reach for the Sky!

Why do I feel that people are trying to crush my dreams?
I grew up being told that I can do anything I want to do; achieve anything I want to achieve. But now that I am at the stage of choosing what I want to do with my life, it feels like I’m being told (in between the lines) to be more realistic. I feel like people think I am not capable of doing what I have always wanted to do; what I have always been great at.

It started with my principal. Ever since I took CALM in grade ten, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. In the past year I have decided how I will achieve that goal; where I will go, and how I will do it. I have my five year plan in place. I felt so proud of myself and like others should be proud of me. But that is not the reaction I have received. My principal came to me, and tried to convince me to go to a career fair (which when I overlooked what career stations were there, I saw that most of them were underachiever jobs, and none of them had anything to do with my passion: science). All the other people invited to this fair were the extreme special needs kids, whom which are still taking elementary and junior high courses. I felt so insulted! No offense to those kids, but I am WAY past that level and WAY more capable of achieving so much more than that. “Is this what she thinks of me?” I thought.

So, I obviously declined the offer. Only to face months more of her trying to convince me even more to look into other options. So now I am getting even more hints that she thinks I am not capable of what I have chosen. She knows I have already gone to career fairs and researched careers very deeply before I chose what I wanted, and now I am being told to keep looking. Way to say “you can do anything you choose.” Sounds more like “maybe you need to chose something a little easier.” Ummmm…….excuse me? I have spent my life deeply buried in research and projects of biology, I have such a deep understanding of if from what I have learnt on my spare time, so much that biology 30 feels like review to me. So once again, I find myself being underestimated.

After brushing this all aside, I am then being told by my mother and psychologist that I need to look at other options. But I’ll say it again: I have already gone through that whole process. They keep telling me “well what if what you want to do doesn’t work out?” OUCH! Again I feel like I am being told that I am not capable of what I have chosen. Which is even more confusing that it was only a couple months ago that I was being told to narrow my career choice. And now they are telling me to broaden it. Jeeze this is so frusterating!

I am tired of being underestimated. I always found, that in childhood, I was being told to reach for the sky. Now I am being told to reach for what is in my reach. You’d think that, in knowing me so well, they would know I never settle when it comes to my achievements. I have always reached for the sky and I always will. I’m tired of people assuming that I cannot do something, without even giving me the chance to try. Good encouragement eh?

The point I am trying to make is that, when you get older, you are given (what people see to be as) more realistic views. But no one ever got anywhere by playing it safe. No one ever made it by listening to being told that they cannot do what they try to. If anyone tries to tell you that you are not able to do something, I think that should be an invitation to a challenge. I plan on proving everyone wrong who is telling me to try something else; something easier.

I challenge you to prove anyone wrong who tells you that you are not capable of doing something. Reach for the sky, and don’t settle for anything!

You cant rain on my parade!

This is something to think about when negative people are doing their best to rain on your parade. So remember this story the next time someone who knows nothing and cares less tries to make your life miserable. 



A woman was at her hairdresser's getting her hair styled for a trip to Rome with her husband.. She mentioned the trip to the hairdresser, who responded: 

" Rome ? Why would anyone want to go there? It's crowded and dirty.. You're crazy to go to Rome . So, how are you getting there?" 

"We're taking Continental," was the reply. "We got a great rate!" 

"Continental?" exclaimed the hairdresser. " That's a terrible airline. Their planes are old, their flight attendants are ugly, and they're always late. So, where are you staying in Rome ?" 

"We'll be at this exclusive little place over on Rome'sTiber River called Teste." 

"Don't go any further. I know that place. Everybody thinks its gonna be something special and exclusive, but it's really a dump." 

"We're going to go to see the Vatican and maybe get to see the Pope." 

"That's rich," laughed the hairdresser. You and a million other people trying to see him. He'll look the size of an ant. 

Boy, good luck on this lousy trip of yours. You're going to need it." 

A month later, the woman again came in for a hairdo. The hairdresser asked her about her trip to Rome . 

"It was wonderful," explained the woman, "not only were we on time in one of Continental's brand new planes, but it was overbooked, and they bumped us up to first class. The food and wine were wonderful, and I had a handsome 28-year-old steward who waited on me hand and foot. 

And the hotel was great! They'd just finished a $5 million remodeling job, and now it's a jewel, the finest hotel in the city. They, too, were overbooked, so they apologized and gave us their owner's suite at no extra charge!" 

"Well," muttered the hairdresser, "that's all well and good, but I know you didn't get to see the Pope." 

"Actually, we were quite lucky, because as we toured the Vatican , a Swiss Guard tapped me on the shoulder, and explained that the Pope likes to meet some of the visitors, and if I'd be so kind as to step into his private room and wait, the Pope would personally greet me. 

Sure enough, five minutes later, the Pope walked through the door and shook my hand! I knelt down and he spoke a few words to me." 

"Oh, really! What'd he say ?" 

 
 
 
 
 


He said: "Who messed up your hair?"

Vinegar and Honey (a message to C.S.)

(This is a composition of my feelings, experiences, and witnessed facts about someone I used to call a friend. When I say “you” I am directing towards with individual, not the reader.)

I ignore your annoyances, you complain to everyone about mine.
I am kind to all my acquaintances, you attack yours.
I mind my own business, you intrude upon mine.
I let my friends be friends with you, you try to turn them against me.
I tell the truth, you are a compulsive liar.
I let things be, you manipulate them.
I tell of betrayal to the betrayed because they have a right to know, you tell them to start fights and tear people apart.
I get over things, you are bitter.
I contain my misery, you spread yours.
I am happy when others are happy, you are happy when they suffer.
My friendliness and humour attracts attention to me, your desperation attracts attention to you.
I lie to protect people, you lie to ruin people.
I am making more friends, you are driving yours away.
You betrayed me time and time over (and I remained civil and kind), I didn’t take your side and you made me your target.
You blame others for your problems, you are the blame for others problems.
You are blood-thirsty, I am hug-thirsty.
I make my own happiness, you depend on drugs to be happy.
I am warm, you are cold.
I offered you my warmth, you gave me a cold.
I love, you hate.
I love peace, you love drama.
I pick up the pieces, you lay them out.
I give, you take.
I am generous, you are selfish.
I am real, you are fake.
I am a butterfly, you are a wasp.
I am confident, you are cocky.
I cry when I am sad, you cry to gain sympathy and attention.
I eat food, you eat people.
Misery loves company, company hates misery.
Sheppards herd sheep, your friends are people, not sheep.
People disagree with me (that’s life), people disagree with you and become a target.
You are bitter, and I am left with the aftertaste.
I have left you alone, you need to leave me alone.

Lesson to be learned:
I am happy and carefree, you are stressed and miserable.
I will have a happy life, you will remain miserable and alone.
I lost you as a friend, you lost all your friends (because of all this drama you have caused)
Honey is sweet, vinegar smells.